Insulation film for covering holes

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a damping film for a floor panel ( 1 ) of a motor vehicle. The inventive damping film ( 4 ) is provided partially, that is in hole areas ( 6 ) or in predetermined oscillation areas ( 6   a ) with a reinforcing layer ( 5 ).

[0001] The present invention relates to a damping film for covering holes in motor vehicle floorings according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Floor panels in motor vehicles are formed in numerous ways in order to fulfil different mechanical requirements. In particular these floor panels have reinforcing beadings or recesses which, among other things, serve to attach other vehicle body parts. Such beadings usually have a hole through which an attachment means, in particular a screw, can be inserted. Furthermore, vehicle floor panels are usually designed so as to be able to be used for several vehicle types for economical reasons. It is therefore clear that not all apertures or holes which are present in a mounted floor panel are actually used for their intended purpose. Therefore, these apertures must subsequently be re-sealed.

[0003] Elements for sealing unused holes in such floor panels are well known to the expert and can be designed as sealing plugs made of plastic and/or rubber. For example, these sealing plugs are water-tightly attached to the floor panels with the aid of adhesives.

[0004] Film-like coverings are also known which are glued over the holes. These films tend to sag severely in the hole regions. For this reason films are known which are entirely covered with a reinforcing layer, for example cardboard, paper or aluminium. However, these reinforced films are difficult to attach, and in particular are difficult to glue in the region of beadings, and in particular in the region of perforated, trough-shaped beadings.

[0005] The application of these hole coverings requires a separate manufacturing step. In particular, selected sealing plugs must be inserted into the differently formed floor panel openings or differently sized film pieces must be positioned over the apertures, both of which are time consuming and work intensive.

[0006] It is therefore the aim of the present invention to provide a hole covering which can be easily mounted or applied and which does not exhibit the disadvantages of known hole coverings. In particular it is the aim of the invention to provide a hole covering which is suitable for use with perforated, trough-shaped beadings and which does not sag significantly in the hole region of larger apertures.

[0007] This aim is achieved according to the invention by means of a damping film having the features of claim 1, and in particular with a damping film which is partially provided in selected regions with a reinforcing layer. In a first application, the selected regions lie over a hole in the floor panel and in particular over a perforated, trough-shaped beading. This means that the relatively soft damping film is prevented from sagging through the hole by the reinforcing layer, which would otherwise lead to an undesired indentation on the vehicle inner side. It is to be understood that this reinforcing layer can be applied to each or both sides of the damping film. In another type of application, the region to be reinforced lies over an oscillating region of the floor panel. The expert knows that when large two-dimensional or planar surface elements vibrate or oscillate, different oscillating regions develop between which so-called nodal lines run. These planar elements vibrate only minimally in the region of these nodal lines, whereas these elements provoke undesirable antinodes in the oscillation regions. It is these oscillation regions which can be additionally damped with the present invention without having to substantially increase the mass of the damping film in these regions.

[0008] Thus, the present invention not only allows to simplify or dispense with the work-intensive step of covering the holes, but at the same time the damping performance of the damping film can be locally influenced or controlled.

[0009] The invention is explained in more detail by means of a preferred embodiment and with the aid of the Figures.

[0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic section through a preferred embodiment of a damping film according to the invention in a mounted state; and

[0011]FIG. 2 is a schematic section through a further preferred embodiment of a damping film according to the invention in a mounted state.

[0012]FIG. 1 shows a floor panel 1, into which a perforated, trough-shaped beading 2 has been formed and which perforated, trough-shaped beading has a central hole 3. An inventive damping film 4 is arranged over this floor panel. This damping film is provided at least in the region 6 of the perforated, trough-shaped beading 2 with an additional reinforcing layer 5. This reinforcing layer 5 can comprise paper, cardboard, plastic, felt, aluminium etc. and can either be in the form of a continuous layer or can have a mesh-type structure. This reinforcing layer can be applied by laminating, calendering and/or gluing. This allows the spread-out damping film 4 to closely adapt to the shape and position of the beadings, thereby improving its sound damping function. On the other hand the reinforcing layer 5 prevents the damping film from sagging in the region of the central hole 3. Furthermore, the precise application of further partial reinforcing layers 5 a can desirably influence and adjust the damping performance of the damping film 4. In particular, it is possible to specifically dampen those regions 6 a in which the development of antinodes or oscillation regions are anticipated. In this way the inventive damping film simultaneously fulfils a number of functions.

[0013]FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the inventive damping film 4 in a mounted state. This continuous damping film 4 is also applied to the surface of a floor panel 1 and fittingly adjusts to its contours, in particular in areas having pronounced deformations, for example a perforated, trough-shaped beading 2. According to the invention this damping film 4 is provided with a reinforcing layer 5 in the region 6 of a perforated, trough-shaped beading 2, which reinforcing layer 5 prevents the soft damping film 4 from sagging through the central hole 3. Furthermore, this reinforcing layer 5 protects the damping film 4 from mechanical damage in the hole region. Suitable damping foils are well known to the expert. In particular, it is suitable to use a damping foil known under the commercial name “IFF”. It is to be understood that the partial reinforcing layers 5, 5 a can be applied to both sides of the damping film 4 and the expert will arrange and dimension these in a suitable manner.

[0014] The advantages of the inventive damping film are immediately obvious to the expert. In particular, the troublesome sealing of the holes in the floor panel can be replaced by the simple and continuous application of the inventive damping film. Furthermore, the inventive damping film allows the expert to specifically influence the damping performance of the damping film and the only partial application of the reinforcing layers 5, 5 a allows a good and in particular water-impermeable sealing of the floor panel holes by means of the damping film, without the film sagging through in the region of the holes 3. It is to be understood that these reinforcing layers 5, 5 a can also be applied in those regions where a greater mechanical stress of the damping film is to be expected. 

1. Damping film for a floor panel (1) of a motor vehicle, wherein said damping film (4) is provided in predetermined regions (6,6 a), i.e. partially, with a reinforcing layer (5).
 2. Damping film according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined regions (6 a) are hole regions.
 3. Damping film according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined regions (6 a) are oscillation regions.
 4. Damping film according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reinforcing layer is applied to the damping film on the side facing the floor panel.
 5. Damping film according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reinforcing layer is applied to the damping film on the side turned away from the floor panel.
 6. Damping film according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the reinforcing layer comprises paper, cardboard, plastic, felt, aluminium etc.
 7. Damping film according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the reinforcing layer is applied by laminating, calendering or gluing.
 8. Damping film according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the reinforcing layer is in the form of a continuous or mesh-type structure. 